Ordinary People
Question:
You say you are write about ordinarily people. Who cares about ordinary people?
Answer:
I do.
Because
- The phrase “ordinary people” is an oxymoron because no one is ordinary.
- All lives are fascinating if we take the time to examine them and get to know them.
- All lives are different.
- Writers and readers are curious.
- Humans are emotional beings, not rational beings. We are ruled by our emotions.
- What is Jane’s life really like?
- The reader wants to identify with jaune and follow her on an adventure or a search for meaning, for truth, for happiness, for life.
- Humans are emotional beings, not rational beings. We are ruled by our emotions.
- In every life there are turning points.
- In every life there are the times that are real.
- the times when human nature shows through.
- when some universal truth is revealed.
- times when someone gets to know someone else or better, him or herself.
For example, in my story “Circus City”, in my collection of short stories, Women Are Hard to Figure, begins:
“Until I found the box in the attic, my mother was a mystery to me.”
Her mother is a used car saleswoman, (how’s that for ordinary?) but as we follow the daughter, we discover her mother has a surprisingly fascinating background.
In my story “Family”, also in my collection, Women Are Hard to Figure, Matilda’s sister is dying and we follow her as her pregnant and unwed niece finally comes to her dying mother’s bedside. This common situation of death causes Matilda sorrow and pain but leads to bring new meaning to her life.
